2009 Festival Workshops
SolarFest 2009 will present over 95 workshops in the following tracks:
Workshop Presenters
Renewable Energy Track
Friday
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Solar Thermal Systems: Getting Hot Water from the Sun
This workshop will cover the basics of solar thermal systems that allow a homeowner to use the sun to produce domestic hot water and space heating using a variety of hydronic system designs. This workshop covers site assessment, system design, costs, and state and federal incentives to promote greater use of solar thermal applications.
Presenter: Will White
2:00 - 4:30 pm
Veggie Oil Cars: How You Can Get Started!
This extended workshop will provide information on the different systems that allow you to operate a diesel vehicle on filtered waste vegetable oil and will help you decide whether to go the do-it-yourself way or hire a trained professional. Securing a waste vegetable oil supply and filtering will also be covered. This workshop is also offered on Sunday, 9:00 - 11:30 am.
Presenter: Ken Oldrid
3:30 - 4:30 pm
Net Metered PV Systems
This workshop will include discussion of both residential and commercial grid-tied PV, both small and large, as well as web-based performance monitoring. This workshop is also offered on Saturday, 2:00 - 3:00 pm.
Presenter: Kirk Herander
3:30 - 4:30 pm
Thermal Storage Solutions for Zero Energy Buildings
Zero Energy Building (ZEB) means a building that requires no additional fuel purchases for heating, cooling, and electrical loads. Learn how a revolutionary new solar heating technology can deliver 100% of the heat and hot water needed, even here in New England. Seasonal thermal storage makes ZEB construction a practical and achievable goal in tight, well-insulated buildings in any habitable climate.
Presenters: Brad Vietje, John Unger Murphy & Ed Whitaker
5:00 - 6:00 pm
Prudent Fuels: A Member-Owned Biofuels Cooperative
A lot of meaningful endeavors are beyond the scope of a single person, but inappropriate for a traditional corporate structure. Member-owned cooperatives offer many advantages for a community-scaled enterprise. Prudent Fuels is a humble biofuel cooperative out of Poultney that will be used as a case-study in this discussion of grassroots systemic change.
Presenter: Joe Bossen
6:30 - 7:30 pm
PV 101: Plug Your Home into the Sun
This workshop provides an introduction to photovoltaics (PV) technology and its use as a source of electric power for the home. The workshop begins with a narrated slideshow, followed by a brief lecture. Ample time at the end of the workshop will be reserved for a Q&A session. This workshop is also offered on Friday 6:30 - 7:30 pm, Saturday, 9:00 - 10:30 am and Sunday 9:00 - 10:30 am.
Presenter: Richard Gottlieb
6:30 - 7:30 pm
The Reality of Small Wind Energy
Considering wind turbine technology at a location that has strong enough winds to warrant staking your lawn furniture to the ground? Before ordering a new home-scale wind power system it is important to first consider what options are available to you. This workshop will discuss what a homeowner needs to know about assessing their site for wind and selecting the best technology at the right price.
Presenter: Robert Wills
Saturday
9:00 - 10:30 am
PV 101: Plug Your Home into the Sun
This workshop provides an introduction to photovoltaics (PV) technology and its use as a source of electric power for the home. The workshop begins with a narrated slideshow, followed by a brief lecture. Ample time at the end of the workshop will be reserved for a Q&A session. This workshop is also offered on Friday 6:30 - 7:30 pm, Saturday, 9:00 - 10:30 am and Sunday 9:00 - 10:30 am.
Presenter: Richard Gottlieb
11:00 - 12:00 pm
Wind Power for the Home
This workshop presents the latest developments in home-scale wind turbine technology. Participants will learn how to assess the wind resource at their home site and what to consider when selecting a home-scale wind power system.
Presenter: David Blittersdorf
12:30 - 1:30 pm
Vehicle-to-Grid Fundamentals
We are at the cusp of a fundamental shift away from the internal combustion engine to electric drive for light vehicles. Every major automobile manufacturer has announced plans to offer plug-in hybrid electric and/or all electric vehicles for sale to consumers as early as 2010. This workshop explores the potential benefits of a convergence between the electric power and transportation sectors, with particular focus on the emerging vehicle-to-grid concept that views plug-in cars as interactive parts of the electric power system.
Presenter: Steven Letendre
12:30 - 3:00
The SolarFest Site Tour
Meet at the SolarFest Power Station
The SolarFest site tour has become a tradition at the festival. SolarFest is powered by renewable energy equipment in a great number of configurations. This is a great way to learn how all of this equipment interacts to power this unique event. This workshop is also offered on Sunday, 12:00 - 2:30pm. A site tour specifically for young people is offered in The Solar Generation track.
Presenter: John Blittersdorf
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Renewable Energy Policy in Vermont
This workshop provides an overview of the various policies in Vermont to promote greater use of renewable forms of energy. Workshop attendees will learn about the Vermont Small Scale Renewable Energy Incentive Program and other state-level policies to increase the use of Vermont's renewable energy resource base. In addition, participants will learn what they can do to encourage their local elected officials to support new, aggressive policies to support renewable energy development.
Presenter: Andrew Perchlik
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Net Metered PV Systems
This workshop will include discussion of both residential and commercial grid-tied PV, both small and large, as well as web-based performance monitoring. This workshop is also offered on Friday 3:30 - 4:30 pm.
Presenter: Kirk Herander
3:30 - 4:30 pm
Micro Hydro Basics for Home and Community Energy
This workshop will cover the basics of how to determine if a site is useful for hydro power; an overview of the components of a typical system as well as a detailed description of the permitting obstacles for hydro projects in VT and other neighboring states. The workshop will discuss issues for both residential and community scale systems.
Presenter: Ben Gordesky
Sunday
9:00 - 10:00 am
Off-Grid Living Panel
Join us for an informal conversation with several families that have chosen to live off the grid far from the nearest power line. Panel members will discuss their motivation and experience living with an off-grid renewable energy system.
Presenters: This conversation will be facilitated by a variety of community members who are currently living off-the-grid.
9:00 - 10:00 am
Community-Based Energy
This workshop will explain the many potential benefits of a community-based renewable energy initiative presented by members of the recently-launched ACORN Energy Co-op, located in Addison County, Vermont. The co-op's latest projects, services, and future plans will also be discussed. There will be an extensive question and answer session.
Presenters: Laura Asermily and Greg Pahl
9:00 - 10:30
PV 101: Plug Your Home into the Sun
This workshop provides an introduction to photovoltaics (PV) technology and its use as a source of electric power for the home. The workshop begins with a narrated slideshow, followed by a brief lecture. Ample time at the end of the workshop will be reserved for a Q&A session. This workshop is also offered on Friday 6:30 - 7:30 pm, Saturday, 9:00 - 10:30 am and Sunday 9:00 - 10:30 am.
Presenter: Richard Gottlieb
9:00 - 11:30 am
Veggie Oil Cars: How You Can Get Started!
Meet at the Hybrid-Grease Car Parking Area
This extended workshop will provide information on the different systems that allow you to operate a diesel vehicle on filtered waste vegetable oil and will help you decide whether to go the do-it- yourself way or hire a trained professional. Securing a waste vegetable oil supply and filtering will also be covered. This workshop is also offered on Friday, 2:00 - 4:30pm.
Presenter: Ken Oldrid
10:30 - 11:30 am
Spin Your Electric Meter Backwards Using PV
This workshop explores grid-tied solar technology and its application as a critical component in meeting our energy needs, now and in the future. The topics covered include solar site evaluation, equipment availability, installation methods and understanding the economics, and other reasons, for an investment in a home solar energy system.
Presenter: Ananda Hartsell
12:00 - 1:00 pm
Biodiesel Today
The breathtaking speed with which biodiesel has gained acceptance in the marketplace in the past few years has been exceeded only by the proliferation of biodiesel production facilities around the United States and the world, only to confront new social and environmental challenges and criticisms. Greg Pahl will provide a brief update of where the industry is, and where it may be going in the years ahead, based on his new book, Biodiesel: Growing a New Energy Economy, Second Edition.
Presenter: Greg Pahl
12:00 - 2:30 pm
The SolarFest Site Tour
Meet at the SolarFest Power Station
The SolarFest site tour has become a tradition at the festival. SolarFest is powered by renewable energy equipment in a great number of configurations. This is a great way to learn how all of this equipment interacts to power this unique event. This workshop is also offered on Saturday, 12:30 - 3:00pm. A site tour for young people is offered in The Solar Generation track.
Presenter: John Blittersdorf
1:30 - 2:30 pm
Using GIS Mapping for Community Energy Planning
This workshop discusses the use of GIS mapping software as a tool for community energy planning. Communities across Vermont and New England are forming energy committees to promote projects that increase the efficient use of energy and the use of local energy sources. These committees will benefit from having access to information about the local renewable energy resource base that can be communicated visually through maps to engage the public on these critical issues.
Presenter: John Van Hoesen
3:00 - 4:00 pm
Evacuated Tube Solar Thermal Collectors
This workshop provides a tutorial explaining the science involved in evacuated tube solar thermal collectors. This will include a description of solar tubes, and heat pipes and how they can be used in a home for space heating and domestic hot water applications..
Presenters: Michael & Anne Press
Return to top
Green Building Practices Track
Friday
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Healthy, Cool Interiors
Three major areas in interiors contribute to poor indoor air quality. Why don't we care? This workshop will explore potential issues, such as: moisture-mold, no turnover, off gassing materials, dust, pets, and more. We will DIY easy fixes: hydrogen peroxide, American Clay, safe and hard seal, True Zero VOC paint, plants and ventilation.
Presenter: Kate Dayton
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Intro to Straw Bales
This workshops will discuss building homes with straw bales and natural plasters and will include slides of various projects, advantages, frequently asked questions, different framing options, and dispelling of myths. The workshop will also include a bale wall with lime and clay plasters applied, carved niche, and a truth window.
Presenter: Daniel Fullmer
3:30 - 4:30 pm
Natural Plasters and Finishes
This hands-on workshop will explore the different natural plaster and finishes and their appropriate applications. We will discuss basic plaster compositions and their benefits to a healthy home, recipes, different tools for the job and how to properly apply to different surfaces. There will be a slide show of different applications and the opportunity to apply plasters to a bale wall. We will provide some resources for finding material sources as well as what materials can be harvested locally.
Presenter: Liz Johndrow
5:00 - 6:00 pm
Introduction to Masonry Heaters
This workshop serves as an introduction and education about masonry stoves, or masonry heaters, as an alternative heating option for homes and businesses. Discussion about masonry wood-fire heating may include: thermal mass concept, renewable local resources, sustainability, efficiency, emissions, hot water, cooking, and baking, and more information about designing a home with a masonry heater as the primary heat source.
Presenter: Michael Thronson
5:00 - 6:00 pm
Home Operations Manual from a Green Perspective
The goal of the workshop is to assist people to understand how a home functions, its needs, some green materials and procedures, and an understanding on how to develop an operations manual for a more efficient, healthier home. As a Green Home Rehabilitation Specialist certified by NeighborWorks America, I will teach you about major home components and how they function as part of the system.
Presenter: Ken Welch
6:30 - 7:30 pm
It's All About Water
This workshop will explore the many options of utilizing low temperature radiant floor heating with thermal solar collectors
Presenter: Bob Gagnon
Saturday
9:00 - 10:30 am
Original Green: What our Houses Know about the Climate
Most of us cannot build new - we have a house, so what should we do with it? This workshop looks at how the houses we have, especially those built before WWII, may already include green elements, such as weather entries, south facing bay windows, 16" eaves, doors, and attic windows. These ideas are called "original green" and this workshop is an introduction to the age-old passive sun and wind techniques used by people all over the world, and right here in Vermont. Illustrations will be of local vernacular architecture and will help you evaluate a house and its site before you embark upon green upgrades.
Presenter: Jane Griswold
11:00 - 12:00 pm
Natural Building and Passive Homes: Where Tradition Meets the Future
LEED and our fixation with the latest rating system and gadgetry has confused many people as to what "green building" actually is. Learn how performance-based energy rating systems can more effectively support our transition to more radical independence from fossil fuels and debt. This workshop will explore the difference between natural materials and synthetics, in terms of their impacts on energy, performance and health. We will also look at the potential savings of "building" efficiency compared to human behavior, and how Permaculture can bridge the gap.
Presenter: Ben Graham
12:30 - 1:30 pm
Beyond Green: Building with Bales in Cold Climates
Building a structure with straw bales is a great choice for a super-insulated structure that rivals more mainstream green wall systems like cellulose, spray foam, or SIPS in terms of performance, and out-performs in terms of ecological and social impacts. How do we best install this fantastic wall system to maximize the benefits? Join Jacob Deva Racusin and Ace McArleton in an examination of best practices for straw bale construction in cold climates, where quality design and installation really counts.
Presenters: Jacob Deva Racusin and Ace McArleton
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Living a Green Vision: Creating a Place to Call Home
This workshop will look at aspects of green building using the personal home of the presenter as an example. Items of discussion will include super insulation, local, recycled and non-toxic materials, renewable energy, landscape, water and wastewater, and heating. There will be plenty of time for questions.
Presenter: Jim Grundy
3:30 - 4:30 pm
White Pine Co-Housing
Come hear about the design, construction and early living experiences at this new "mini-co-housing" project in East Montpelier. This 6-unit co-housing includes very energy efficient construction, passive solar, local lumber, central wood-pellet fired boiler, conserved open and forest land and "consensus-minus-one" decision making. Learn about how the units were put together, lessons learned in construction, design and operation and in coming together as a small community.
Presenter: Andy Shapiro
Sunday
9:00 - 10:00 am
Energy Conservation: The Least Expensive kWh is the One Never Used
This workshop will focus on the many ways that a home owner can reduce electrical and thermal energy consumption use through affordable means. With the right equipment and use habits the energy consumed in a typical home can be cut by as much as half. Some changes have pay backs in as little as a month or two.
Presenter: TBA
10:30 - 11:30 am
Residential Energy When the Energy Runs Out
You've replaced all of your lightbulbs with compact fluorescents, insulated your water heater and sealed air leaks in the basement. What's next? In this presentation we'll discuss why energy tinkering is not enough. Come hear about the leading edge of energy efficiency. You'll be invited to think about your next steps to reduce your reliance on purchased energy, the best places to spend your energy dollars, and what happens when one takes energy efficiency to the extreme or maybe logical - conclusion.
Presenter: Li Ling Young
12:00 - 1:00 pm
In-Depth Look at Masonry Heating Around the World
This workshop offers an depth look at the 400 year old tradition of masonry heaters from around the World.
Presenter: William Davenport
1:30 - 2:30 pm
Greenhouse Integration
Greenhouses are an essential component of diversified and season-extended growing in the North, and also a great addition to a low energy and resilient household. Learn how greenhouses can be integrated with homes, animal shelters, barns, and other structures to reduce energy needs, supplement heating and fresh food in the winter, and if well designed can help to cool buildings in summer months. The basics of passive solar design, thermal mass, ventilation, subterranean heat storage, orientation, and glazing options will be discussed.
Presenter: Keith Morris
1:30 - 2:30 pm
Greensulate: Using Mushrooms to Produce a Sustainable Alternative to Foam Board
This workshop will focus on how the materials we use today and their production relates to fossil fuel dependence. Special attention will be given to the importance of finding sustainable alternatives to current synthetics, like plastics and foams. An overview of one such sustainable material, Greensulate, a rigid board insulation being developed by Ecovative Design in Troy, NY, will include a discussion of the history of its discovery and development, the current status, installations, and what is in store for the future of Fungi based bio-materials. There will be samples available.
Presenter: Eben Bayer
3:00 - 4:00 pm
EcoDesign
EcoMachines are alternative waste water treatment systems that use living processes rather than chemicals to purify water. Bioshelters are specially designed greenhouses that use solar algae ponds to store heat. These are not futuristic ideas, they have already stood the test of real-world applications, and have the potential to improve and expand if people pick up the ideas and run with them.
Presenter: Lisa Fredette
Return to top
Sustainable Agriculture Track
Friday
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Composting Humanure: The Jenkins Sawdust Toilet
In the Humanure Handbook, Joseph Jenkins wrote, "The world is divided into two categories of people: those who shit in their drinking water supplies and those who don't. We in the Western World are in the former class." Jenkins is our guru for this workshop. Ron Slabaugh will describe the easily constructed and inexpensive Jenkins sawdust toilet and his own back-yard composting method which is a "win/win" example of turning a waste disposal problem into a valuable resource.
Presenter: Ron Slabaugh
3:30 - 4:30 pm
At-Risk Medicinal Plants
Ginseng, Goldenseal, Lady's Slipper. What do these plants have in common? They are native medicinal plants on the United Plant Savers At-Risk list. See a slide show of these special healing plants and learn what you can do to preserve their populations.
Presenter: Helena Wu
5:00 - 6:00 pm
Being Localvore
Are you tired of eating food that is cardboard tasting, monoculture grown, pesticide doused, zapped and wrapped, sits in a warehouse and then gets shipped across a continent to you? In 2007, the New Oxford American Dictionary chose Localvore; a person who seeks out locally produced food, as its word of the year - with good reason. Coast to coast, people have begun savoring foods grown close to home that are fresh, seasonal, fairly traded and organic. Jim Merkel will offer a workshop focused upon growing, purchasing, preserving and storing locally grown foods for a year-round supply.
Presenter: Jim Merkel
6:30 - 7:30 pm
Biochar: The Carbon-Negative Climate Stabilization Strategy
Biochar is charcoal created to put in soil. Biochar is the key ingredient in an emerging technology based on an ancient indigenous strategy to sequester carbon, create sustainable soil fertility, grow nutrient dense foods, and produce renewable energy. Learn how to make and use your own biochar at home and on the farm.
Presenter: David Yarrow
Saturday
9:00 - 10:30 am
Stretching Seasonal Eating With Season Extension
If eating locally feels a little confining in the Northeast, there are ways that you can stretch the season without unduly straining your finances or your palate. Row covers, cold frames, and hoop houses will serve as the focus for this workshop, with discussion of crops best-suited for season extension structures.
Presenter: Philip Ackerman-Leist
11:00 - 12:00 pm
Ecological Soil Management: The Key to Successful Gardening
Have you ever wondered why organic gardeners and farmers focus on feeding the soil and why compost is a cornerstone of organic management? How building soil structure ameliorates other natural soil properties? And how gardeners can use preventative practices to naturally suppress insects and diseases? This workshop will examine ecological gardening methods that build preventative practices into your system, promote food and habitat for beneficial insects, and respect the fascinating world of soils.
Presenter: Wendy Sue Harper
11:00 - 12:00 pm
Lifting The Yoke: Local Solutions To America's Farm And Food Crisis
The workshop will explore the politics of food and farming, with a focus on Vermont. Using material from Ron new book, Lifting the Yoke: Local Solutions to America's Farm and Food Crisis, (forward by Bill McKibben), this workshop will discuss the globalization of food and farming, the issue of hunger, obesity, Farm-to-School programs, and local sustainable solutions.
Presenter: Ron Krupp
12:30 - 1:30 pm
We Need Food and Farming Regulation NOW!
While we recognize the need for government regulation of Wall Street and banks, we dare not forget to include industrial agriculture, AKA Factory Farming, as an area in need of real regulation. It is our most polluting and dangerous industry, yet its practices are ignored, poorly regulated, and even encouraged by the Farm Bill. This workshop will discuss strategies that organizations and farmers are using to move these issues into the public arena.
Presenter: Will Allen
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Getting Started with Beekeeping Organically
If you're looking to get started with bees and to do so sustainably, this workshop is for you. Among the topics covered will be choosing the right equipment, sourcing bees, choosing a bee yard location, and the basics of honey bee biology.
Presenter: Ross Conrad
3:30 - 4:30 pm
Zero and Low Energy Food Storage Systems for the Homestead
Food security is becoming more and more important to many people as we realize the weak links in our current food distribution system. This workshop will explore ways to save and store food and how to retrofit a basement into a low cost root cellar. Learn how and why root cellars, and other ways of storing and preserving foods, can reduce your carbon footprint and your dependency on natural resources and a fragile food system. Food storage conditions, planning a garden for storage, and building affordable structures will be discussed.
Presenter: Chris Chaisson
Sunday
9:00 - 10:00 am
The Exciting Potential for Small-Scale Dairy
Rich will share his experiences with a small-scale dairy cow operation. Topics covered will be general management, feeding, health and breeding, milking techniques, safe handling of fresh milk, and the challenges of marketing. Also discussed will be current Vermont regulations covering the on-farm sale of fresh unpasturized milk. Finally, Rich will share his vision for a profitable small-scale dairy operation in which the small family farm once again becomes central to the life of the community.
Presenter: Rich Larson
10:30 - 11:30 am
Back to the Land: Forward or Reverse?
When you think of homesteading, you probably think of going "back to the land." But perhaps we ought to be thinking of homesteading differently: engagement (not retreat), interdependence (not independence), and intention (not location). After a brief chronology of our inherited tradition of homesteading and an overview of one homesteader's approach, we'll consider a broader vision of homesteading that could better fit our contemporary world.
Presenter: Philip Ackerman-Leist
12:00 - 1:00 pm
Sustainable Food Systems
This workshop will discuss the concept of localized, sustainable food systems, exploring what it takes to get food from farm to table. Beyond skilled growers and willing consumers, what else does a region need to have a functioning system that provides locally-grown foods to everyone regardless of their income level? Information about the Rutland Area Farm and Food Link (RAFFL), which has been working on re-creating a sustainable food system within this part of Vermont, will be shared.
Presenters: Tara Kelly, Greg Cox & Carol Tashie
1:30 - 2:30 pm
Fossil-Free Agriculture: Farming Without Petroleum
Modern agriculture is (almost) hopelessly addicted to fossil fuels for providing power, soil fertility, and pest control. At Green Mountain College, the Farm and Food Project has been teaching and developing farming systems that use little to no fossil fuels, relying instead on human and animal power, human ingenuity, and the productive power of natural systems. Come learn more about farming without fossil fuels.
Presenter: Kenneth Mulder
3:00 - 4:00 pm
Local Food for Local People
As the local foods movement has grown, demand for locally grown food is increasing faster than production. This means some markets are going underserved, especially for those people who face the greatest economic struggles. This workshop will explore what needs to shift within our local foods system to ensure that food is available and accessible to everyone, regardless of income.
Presenters: Tara Kelly, Greg Cox and Theresa Snow
Return to top
Thriving Locally Track
Friday
2:00 - 3:00 pm
What a Body Knows: Cultivating Earth-Friendly Values
It is one thing to know what we should do in order to honor the Earth - it is another thing to do it. We can try to impose the right ideas upon our actions, but our progress will be limited until we learn to treat our own bodily selves with the same attention and respect we owe to the body of the earth. This workshop explores our contemporary attitudes towards desire and demonstrates how we can create relationships with ourselves and the world that support our mutual flourishing.
Presenter: Kimerer LaMothe
3:30 - 4:30 pm
Transition Towns: Neighbors Helping Neighbors Achieve Resilience
Transition Towns offer a new way for local communities to join together and build community resilience in the face of economic collapse, peak oil, and climate change. Started in England and spreading through Vermont, Transition Towns are designed to get everyone working with their heads, hands, and hearts to make all aspects of the community suited to greater self reliance. (Also offered Saturday 9:00 - 10:30am in Tent 6.)
Presenter: Carl Etnier
3:30 - 4:30
Weed Walk
Meet at the SolarFest Peace Pole, located outside of the arena.
Come take an informative walk through the gardens and fields of Forget-Me-Not Farm, identifying and learning about the healing and edible plants of our community. Plants we can use on a daily basis, either as food or as medicine, are growing literally right in our backyards -- practice tuning in and listening to them. This workshop is also offered on Friday 3:30 - 4:30pm, Saturday 11:00 -12:00pm, Sunday 10:30 - 11:30, and Sunday 3:00 - 4:00pm. Space is limited: first come-first served.
Presenter: Leslie Silver
5:00 - 6:00 pm
Bio-Soap: Keeping Clean and Saving Cash While Staying Local
Is it possible to make effective household cleaning products from 100% recycled ingredients? Yes, it is possible, can be free and you can do it yourself! With very little knowledge of chemistry, minimal equipment, and just a touch of elbow-grease, you've got everything you need. Just find someone who makes bio-diesel and you can turn their glycerine by-products into dish detergent, soap, and more.
Presenter: Richard Kniffin
6:30 - 7:30 pm
No Sustainability, No Peace: Prospects in the Obama Age
This workshop explores the impact of Barack Obama's presidency on issues of sustainability and peace. While Obama recognizes the importance of climate change, he doesn't seem to wrestle with resource limits when shaping his economic recovery package. He campaigned against the Iraq war, yet intends to leave thousands of troops in Iraq and is escalating the war in Afghanistan. How can the contradictory impulses of this administration be resolved to make the US a stronger force for a peaceful, just, and sustainable world?
Presenters: Carl Etnier and Joseph Gainza
Saturday
8:00 - 9:00 am
Morning Yoga
Meet in front of the Family Stage
Sustainability for your body! Wake up and stretch with a morning yoga class. All levels are welcome, bring a mat if you have one.
Leader: Maynard "Bud" Yost
9:00 - 10:30 am
Radical Simplicity - Radical Stimulus
"All this sustainability stuff sounds great, but I have to live in the real world." Jim Merkel, author of Radical Simplicity, suggests dozens of Yankee-practical lifestyles steps that lighten footprints and the heaviness of a world going sour. You will learn how real-world status quo leads to stress, overwork, climate change, poverty and wars and how to package your life's energy, loves and skills to create a more secure life for you and your children. Learn a new way forward based upon ethical relationships with humanity, nature and future generations.
Presenter: Jim Merkel
9:00 - 10:30 am
Transition Towns: Neighbors Helping Neighbors Achieve Resilience
Transition Towns offer a new way for local communities to join together and build community resilience in the face of economic collapse, peak oil, and climate change. Started in England and spreading through Vermont, Transition Towns are designed to get everyone working with their heads, hands, and hearts to make all aspects of the community suited to greater self reliance. This workshop is also offered on Friday 3:30 - 4:30pm.
Presenter: Carl Etnier
11:00 - 12:00 pm
The Intelligent Nature of Plants and Gaiacology
Plants are highly intelligent beings that represent 99% of all living organisms. Their successful dominance of the planet for 450 million years indicates they just might know something we don't about living sustainably upon the Earth. Plants can teach us about Gaiacology or how to be in relationship with a living Earth. Join us for a lively discussion on how to let plants guide us into a new life-giving paradigm on Planet Earth.
Presenter: Pam Montgomery
11:00 - 12:00 pm
Weed Walk
Meet at the SolarFest Peace Pole, located outside of the arena.
Come take an informative walk through the gardens and fields of Forget-Me-Not Farm, identifying and learning about the healing and edible plants of our community. Plants we can use on a daily basis, either as food or as medicine, are growing literally right in our backyards -- practice tuning in and listening to them. This workshop is also offered on Friday 3:30 - 4:30pm, Saturday 11:00 -12:00pm, Sunday 10:30 - 11:30, and Sunday 3:00 - 4:00pm. Space is limited: first come-first served.
Presenter: Helena Wu
12:30 - 1:30 pm
Food, Not Lawns!
Think you need a 'farm' to grow food? Think again! This workshop will introduce designs and examples of urban and suburban 'homesteading', providing food, self-reliance, better nutrition, education, resilient communities, and most importantly fun! We will discuss common limitations such as small space, contaminated soils, neighbors and landlords, plus introduce specific varieties of plants and animals suited to small scale urban and suburban systems.
Presenter: Keith Morris
12:30 - 1:30 pm
Green Burial
Each year the US funeral industry buries 30 million board feet of hardwoods (caskets), 90,272 tons of steel (caskets), 14,000 tons of steel (grave liners), 2,700 tons of copper and bronze (caskets), 1,636,000 tons of reinforced concrete (vaults) and 827,060 gallons of embalming fluid. Natural or green burial is a growing movement where the body is not embalmed and is buried in a shroud or biodegradable casket. Come learn various aspects of green burial, including Vermont law, local opportunities for natural burial and the "do-it-yourself funeral.
Presenter: Ron Slabaugh
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Got Culture?
Cultured food: Japan has miso and pickles, France has wine and cheese. With our industrialized food that has been processed, pasteurized and artificially preserved, one might say America has no culture. Learn how to put some culture back into your life with fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, miso, yogurt, cultured butter and pickles. Learn what's in them, how to make them and why lacto-fermented foods are important and beneficial to our health.
Presenter: Leslie Silver
2:00 - 3:00 pm
The 6th Sense & Sacred Space: Awaken your Intuitive Mind
Meet at the SolarFest Peace Pole, located outside of the arena.
Besides our five physical senses, we are hardwired with an extra inner sense that no school teaches, science dismisses and modern culture discourages. This gateway to intuitive right brain awareness has practical uses in farming, healing, communication and spiritual development and awakens us to more conscious, connected ways to live in our homes, lands and the community of life. Learn to use your intuitive perceptions to explore sacred space in your land and in your heart. (Space is limited: first come-first served.)
Presenter: David Yarrow
3:30 - 4:30 pm
Think Outside the Bottle
Clean drinking water is the basis for life, but soon two in three people will not have enough of it to survive. Will we manage water democratically so everyone has clean, safe water or will we let corporate interests control this precious common resource at an overwhelming human cost? Learn how bottled water threatens our health and our ecosystems, costs thousands of times the price of tap water, and undermines local democratic control over a common essential resource.
Presenter: Deborah Lapidus
3:30 - 4:30 pm
Large Scale Wind Farms: A Facilitated Forum
Over 25,000 megawatts of wind power have been installed across the United States, capable of providing power to more than 5 million (average) households. While the popularity of wind energy grows, large scale wind projects can be controversial in Vermont and elsewhere, resulting in conflicts in communities, frustration for large scale wind developers, and confusion among supporters of renewable energy. What are the pros and cons of the development of large scale wind farms? Please join this facilitated forum and decide for yourself.
Facilitators: Members of the SolarFest community.
Sunday
8:00 - 9:00 am
Morning Yoga
Meet in front of the Family Stage
Sustainability for your body! Wake up and stretch with a morning yoga class. All levels are welcome, bring a mat if you have one.
Leader: Maynard "Bud" Yost
9:00 - 10:00 am
Peace Pole Ceremony: May Peace Prevail on Earth
In front of the Main Stage
Join us for the annual rededication of the SolarFest Peace Pole as we celebrate the oneness of our humanity, our community, and our planet. May Peace Prevail on Earth.
Presenter: Carol Tashie and Melissa Chesnut-Tangerman
9:00 - 10:00 am
Act Today To Change Tomorrow
Vermonters have a great opportunity to change the course of the state's energy policy. Act 160 empowers the Vermont legislature to decide whether Vermont's nuclear power plant can continue to operate once its license expires in 2012. This unique legislation gives Vermonters a real voice in our energy future. Find out what you can do to ensure that nuclear power is replaced with sustainable energy solutions.
Presenters: Deb Katz and Chris Williams
10:30 - 11:30 am
Why Local First Matters: From Consumers to Citizens
This workshop will explore the many reasons to support our local economy, especially the locally owned businesses and farms that make our towns unique. Building resilience in the 21st century necessitates building the diversity of our food, energy, retail, service and other sectors. We will draw connections between how money is spent and its effects on our communities.
Presenter: Chris Morrow
10:30 - 11:30
Green Entrepreneurs: A Panel of Ecoprenuers Tell Their Stories about Life in the Green Industry
Get an up-close and personal look at the green industry with some founders of green businesses. A panel of ecoprenuers will tell their stories and answer these questions: How and why did you get started with your green business? What have you learned along the road? What's next? This will be a facilitated discussion led by Holly Rae Taylor, the Compost Maven and founder of Waste Free Living. Bring your questions and your great ideas!
Presenters: Holly Rae Taylor and a panel of Green Entrepreneurs
10:30 - 11:30 am
Weed Walk
Meet at the SolarFest Peace Pole, located outside of the arena.
Come take an informative walk through the gardens and fields of Forget-Me-Not Farm, identifying and learning about the healing and edible plants of our community. Plants we can use on a daily basis, either as food or as medicine, are growing literally right in our backyards-practice tuning in and listening to them. This workshop is also offered on Friday 3:30 - 4:30pm, Saturday 11:00 -12:00pm, Sunday 10:30 - 11:30, and Sunday 3:00 - 4:00pm. Space is limited: first come-first served.
Presenter: Leslie Silver
12:00 - 1:00 pm
Job Free Living
Over-production and over-consumption are destroying our ecosystem and keeping millions of people on an economic treadmill. An ecological approach to frugality suggests that harvesting the waste stream can substantially reduce the need for money, reduce pollution and minimize support of an "economy" that is destructive and unsustainable. We will share ideas from the banal to the outrageous for meeting our material needs in ways that are honest and legal, yet minimize the spending of money and production of pollution.
Presenters: Ed Haffmans
12:00 - 1:00 pm
15 Years of SolarFest: How and Why We Do It
The founders of SolarFest had performing arts, education and fun in mind when they first started meeting over pot luck meals in 1994. None of us realized the extent to which a community would be built. This lively look back over SolarFest's fifteen year will explore the through-lines of commitment, idealism, passion and friendship and offer some practical observations on how to work together for a common dream.
Facilitated by: Melissa Chesnut-Tangerman and other members of the SolarFest community
1:30 - 2:30 pm
Know Your Water
Do you know where your water comes from, what is in it, and how to protect yourself from contaminants? This presentation will cover the global water crisis, groundwater protection, and municipal water treatment. Learn about diminishing fresh water supplies, new and old technologies for disinfecting water, and what you can do to get involved in your local water, no matter where it comes from.
Presenter: Annette Smith
3:00 - 4:00 pm
Vermont Communities Tackle Energy and Climate Change
This presentation will discuss how town energy committees in Vermont are taking action to address high energy costs and climate change. Learn the importance of taking local action, how to form a town energy committee, and specific projects that benefit both the municipality and the community, including energy assessment tools, efficiency improvements, town energy planning, compact fluorescent lightbulb change-out programs.
Presenter: Paul Markowitz
3:00 - 4:00 pm
Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots: Service Projects for Local and Global Change
Are you a parent or mentor who wants to inspire young people to engage in projects that address important social and environmental concerns? This workshop will teach you to design service projects and create an atmosphere of team-building and cooperation among young people. You will leave with a description of the service planning process, a list of ideas for successful service projects and a connection to the Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots International Youth Network.
Presenters: Carolyn Conley and Roots & Shoots staff, members and volunteers from all over New England.
3:00 - 4:00 pm
Weed Walk
Meet at the SolarFest Peace Pole, located outside of the arena.
Come take an informative walk through the gardens and fields of Forget-Me-Not Farm, identifying and learning about the healing and edible plants of our community. Plants we can use on a daily basis, either as food or as medicine, are growing literally right in our backyards -- practice tuning in and listening to them. This workshop is also offered on Friday 3:30 - 4:30pm, Saturday 11:00 -12:00pm, Sunday 10:30 - 11:30, and Sunday 3:00 - 4:00pm. Space is limited: first come-first served.
Presenter: Helena Wu
Return to top
The Solar Generation Track (youth track)
Friday
3:30 - 4:30 pm
Where Does the Garbage Go: Why There is No "Away" in "Throw Away"
Have you ever wondered what happens to that piece of plastic or banana peel or old shoe when you throw it in the trash? In this workshop, we will discover what really happens to our garbage, where it goes, and what we can do to reduce what gets thrown "away". We'll watch the 321-Contact! special "The Rotten Truth'" and discuss ways that we can reduce our impact on the planet by making less waste.
Presenter: Rachel Fredette
5:00 - 6:00 pm
Paper Alchemy: Making Paper with Things You Would Never Imagine!
The word "alchemy" means "the art of transformation." A long time ago alchemists spent a lot of time trying to turn lead into gold. In this workshop, we'll lean how to turn horse poop, blue jeans - and other things you never imagined - into paper! And we will explore uses for other things that you never thought was possible.
Presenters: Rachel Fredette and Rainbow Squier
6:30 - 7:30 pm
Hemp: What's the Big Stink All About?
Hemp is an agricultural crop that can be used to make paper, textiles, biomass energy, auto parts, building supplies, food products, livestock feed, body and health care items, and so much more. So why can't we grow hemp in this country? We used to, but in 1945 we stopped growing in the U.S. In this workshop we'll learn about the fascinating and confused history of this crop, its questionable cousins and what the future might hold for hemp in Vermont.
Presenter: Netaka White
6:30 - 7:30 pm
SolarFest Site Tour: For Young People of All Ages
Meet at the SolarFest Juice Bar (our power station)
Have you ever wondered how we manage to power everything at SolarFest with renewable energy? This SolarFest Site Tour, designed for young people of all ages, will visit SolarFest's on site energy technologies, including our solar hot water installation, our numerous and wonderful photo-voltaic panels, and the Power Station (we call it "the juice bar"). You will even get a behind-the-scenes-look at the cool LED lights in action on the Main Stage! Led by some of the young people who have grown up at SolarFest, this workshop will use kid-friendly terms to explain how we make the energy needed to power Solarfest. This workshop is also offered on Friday 6:30 - 7:30pm, Saturday 3:30 - 4:30pm, and Sunday 3:00 - 4:00pm. We also offer SolarFest Site Tours as part of our Renewable Energy track.
Presenters: This workshop will be led by young people who have grown up with SolarFest, as well as some of our resident SolarFest renewable energy experts.
Saturday
9:00 - 10:30 am
A Special Workshop for Educators: Environmental Literacy in our Schools and Communities
How are we preparing today's students to be tomorrow's environmentally literate decision-makers? Environmental literacy includes knowledge of the Earth as well as an understanding of human social systems; it demands critical thinking, problem solving and an understanding of citizenship. This workshop will feature a panel of teachers, environmental educators, and students sharing their perspectives on this topic. Learn what is happening in schools around Vermont and get some ideas of ways you can help increase environmental literacy in your community.
Presenters: Lisa Purcell, Brian Tonks, Jen Stainton, Kim Hagen, Sarah Carson and Judy Filkins
>9:00 - 10:00 am
What Do Worms Eat? A Vermi-Scavenger Hunt
Meet at Cob House near the Kids Corner. All children must be accompanied by a parent.
Vermicomposting is composting with worms and we'll learn about it the fun way! Help us feed our hungry compost worms with a scavenger hunt for worm food around the festival grounds. We'll learn about worms, worm bins, and worm compost. This workshop is intended for ages 6-12 years old and ALL children must be accompanied by a parent.
Presenter: Holly Rae Taylor
10:30 - 11:15 am
Solar Car Race: Initial Meeting for All Participants
NESEA's Junior Solar Sprint offers young people the opportunity to learn about the design, construction, and performance of a model solar electric vehicle. During this mini-version of the Junior Solar Sprint, young people ages 10-14 years old will design, test and race their own solar powered vehicles. This is the Initial Meeting for everyone who is interested in participating in the race. The Final Competition will be held on Sunday from 1:30 - 2:30pm. There will be several opportunities during the festival for you to build and test your cars at a location inside the arena. Please check The Solar Generation program guide for complete details.
Presenters: Kevin Kiefaber and Joao Leao
11:30 - 12:30 pm
Energy and the Environment: Sun, Wind, & Water
Energy from the sun heats and lights our planet, creates our wind and weather, powers the water cycle, and makes it possible for life to exist on Earth. This workshop, designed for children ages 6 to 12, will let you actively engage in exploring sunlight and shadow, observing the wind, identifying clouds, and looking for other signs of the sun's power in the natural world.
Presenters: Rob Anderegg and Lisa Purcell
12:30 - 2:00 pm
Forest Explorers
Meet at Cob House near the Kids Corner. All children must be accompanied by a parent.
In this workshop we will leave the Solarfest main grounds and go exploring in the woods. Be prepared to get dirty as we investigate and discover the natural systems at work in the forest. Join us as we look at the kinds of shelters critters create for themselves and make some of our own. Come hug a tree, crawl like an ant and slither like a snake to encounter the natural world on various levels. [Intended for ages 6-10 years old. All children must be accompanied by a parent.]
Presenter: Leora Mallach
12:45 - 1:45 pm
Sustainable Campuses and Careers
Do you have nightmares about sitting in traffic, staring at computer screens, getting pear-shaped doing work that is part of the problem? Have you considered that your life's work could actually be part of the solution? Come learn about working on behalf of the planet, for world peace, for the eradication of poverty and hunger and for a sustainable future. This workshop is perfect for students and still idealistic adults considering careers in the growing, exciting and important field of Sustainability.
Presenter: Jim Merkel
2:00- 3:00 pm
Make and Take Recycled Crafts
One person's trash is another person's art supply store! Come discover new uses for gum wrappers, aluminum cans, plastic milk bottles, paper, and more. Learn how you can give trash new life as jewelry, useful household items, and just plain fun stuff. This workshop is perfect for kids ages 5 to 100 years old!
Presenters: Nan Munsey and Sue Jukosky
3:30- 4:30 pm
Energy and Environmental Board Games
Are you an energy Einstein? Come challenge your brother, sister, friends or parents to an exciting and educational environmental board game! Learn about renewable energy by playing "Connect 4 Our Future," "Energy Source Concentration," "Solar Bingo" and more. Fun for young people ages 8 and older. (Several of the energy and environment board games that will be used in this workshop were made by environmental science students at the Mascoma Regional High School in Canaan, NH.)
Presenters: Nan Munsey and Sue Jukosky
3:30 - 4:30 pm
SolarFest Site Tour: For Young People of All Ages
Meet at the SolarFest Juice Bar (our power station)
Have you ever wondered how we manage to power everything at SolarFest with renewable energy? This SolarFest Site Tour, designed for young people of all ages, will visit SolarFest's on site energy technologies, including our solar hot water installation, our numerous and wonderful photo-voltaic panels, and the Power Station (we call it "the juice bar"). You will even get a behind-the-scenes-look at the cool LED lights in action on the Main Stage! Led by some of the young people who have grown up at SolarFest, this workshop will use kid-friendly terms to explain how we make the energy needed to power Solarfest. This workshop is also offered on Friday 6:30 - 7:30pm, Saturday 3:30 - 4:30pm, and Sunday 3:00 - 4:00pm. We also offer SolarFest Site Tours as part of our Renewable Energy track.
Presenters: This workshop will be lead by young people who have grown up with SolarFest, as well as some of our resident SolarFest renewable energy experts.
Sunday
12:00 - 1:00 pm
Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots: You Can Change the World
Are you a young person who wants to change the world? Work with Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots to create projects that address local and global concerns for animals, people and the environment. During this session you will learn to create service projects that are important to you and your community! Plus, we will connect you the to Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots International Youth Network that can provide project ideas. We welcome youth of all ages to join us.
Presenters: Carolyn Conley and a collection of Roots & Shoots staff, members and volunteers.
1:30 - 2:30 pm
Growing a Career Out of Farming
There are only 2 million farmers in the United States growing food for 300 million people. The demand for locally grown, small-scale and earth friendly agriculture has been steadily increasing. Local farmers markets are cropping up all over country, and today there is even a garden at the White House. In order to meet the increasing demand for locally grown food, more people will need to become farming professionals. This workshop will discuss paths you can take to become a successful and sustainable farmer.
Presenters: Evan Dale, Lindsay Arbuckle and Scott Courcelle
1:30 - 2:30 pm
Solar Car Racing: Final Competition
NESEA's Junior Solar Sprint offers young people the opportunity to learn about the design, construction, and performance of a model solar electric vehicle. During this mini-version of the Junior Solar Sprint, young people ages 10-14 years old will design, test and race their own solar powered vehicles. This is the Final Competition. If you are interested in participating, please attend the Initial Meeting on Saturday 10:30 - 11:15 in Tent 5. There will be several opportunities during the festival for you to build and test your car at a location inside the arena. Please check The Solar Generation program guide for complete details.
Presenters: Kevin Kiefaber and Joao Leao
3:00 - 4:00 pm
The Real Scoop on Bottled Water
This workshop will focus on the Think Outside the Bottle campaign and the reasons why you should drink tap water instead of bottled water. Come explore the important role that water plays in our everyday lives and learn how some people have more water than they need while many others around the world do not have nearly enough. See if you can tell the difference between bottled water and tap water by taking our Tap Water Challenge! Find out what you can do to help make sure that everyone has access to the water they need to survive.
Presenter: Ryan Doyle
3:00 - 4:00 pm
SolarFest Site Tour: For Young People of All Ages
Meet at the SolarFest Juice Bar (our power station)
Have you ever wondered how we manage to power everything at SolarFest with renewable energy? This SolarFest Site Tour, designed for young people of all ages, will visit SolarFest's on site energy technologies, including our solar hot water installation, our numerous and wonderful photo-voltaic panels, and the Power Station (we call it "the juice bar"). You will even get a behind-the-scenes-look at the cool LED lights in action on the Main Stage! Led by some of the young people who have grown up at SolarFest, this workshop will use kid-friendly terms to explain how we make the energy needed to power Solarfest. This workshop is also offered on Friday 6:30 - 7:30pm, Saturday 3:30 - 4:30pm, and Sunday 3:00 - 4:00pm. We also offer SolarFest Site Tours as part of our Renewable Energy track.
Presenters: This workshop will be lead by young people who have grown up with SolarFest, as well as some of our resident SolarFest renewable energy experts.
Return to top
